is a
Japanese television drama
, also called , are television programs that are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, jidaigeki, thrill ...
adapted from the
Young Scenario Prize-winning screenplay ''Kurage Marriage'' by Motoko Usuda. The series aired on the
Getsuku
is a Japanese abbreviation for {{nihongo, ''Getsuyō kuji'', 月曜9時, , Monday at 9 pm. This is traditionally the time when the most popular TV dramas air in Japan.
History
Fuji TV, one of the major broadcasting companies in Japan, ...
time-slot from October 18 to December 20, 2010 on
Fuji TV
JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network S ...
. The drama's slogan was "Itsuwari no Ai Kara, Shinjitsu no Ai e" . The series stars
Yutaka Takenouchi
is a Japanese actor. His on-screen acting debut was in the drama 「ボクの就職」 (Boku no Syūshoku) in 1994, after winning a modeling contest. He regularly appears in commercials.
Filmography
TV series
* ''Boku no Shūshoku/My First Job' ...
, in his first Getsuku drama lead role in nine years, since ''Dekichatta Kekkon'' (2001), and
Aya Ueto, in her second supporting role in a Getsuku drama and first since ''Konkatsu!'' (2009).
The theme song of the drama, "Ryūsei," is performed by folk rock duo
Kobukuro
, a Japanese band, formed in 1998 and made its major label debut in 2001. The name is a portmanteau of the two family names, Kentarō Kobuchi and Shunsuke Kuroda.
Members
*
*
The band's visual appearance is unusual; there are only two people, ...
. The series premiere, which was extended by 15 minutes, earned a rating of 13.6%.
Series synopsis
Takenouchi plays an aquarium employee named Kengo, who possesses a secret he would sacrifice everything in order to protect, while Ueto portrays Risa, a young woman working in the sex trade in order to pay off her brother's debt.
These two characters, both full of despair, meet each other and end up entering a contract marriage purely for its benefits. However, as they overcome various troubles, their relationship begins turning into true love.
Cast and characters
Main cast
*
Yutaka Takenouchi
is a Japanese actor. His on-screen acting debut was in the drama 「ボクの就職」 (Boku no Syūshoku) in 1994, after winning a modeling contest. He regularly appears in commercials.
Filmography
TV series
* ''Boku no Shūshoku/My First Job' ...
as Kengo Okada (37), an employee of the Shin-Enoshima aquarium who enters a contract marriage with Risa.
*
Aya Ueto as Risa Makihara (26), a young woman working at the
image club Sei Marin Gakuen under the alias Milk.
*
Kie Kitano
is a Japanese actress, singer and gravure idol.
Career
Kitano was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, and is a former member of the celebrity girls futsal team ''Miss Magazine''. In 2005, Kitano won a Miss Magazine Award, becoming the youngest (age 1 ...
as Maria Okada (17), Kengo's younger sister and high school student who suffers from a liver illness.
*
Shota Matsuda
is a Japanese actor. Matsuda is best known for his roles in the ''Hana Yori Dango'' series, the ''Liar Game'' series, and '' Love Shuffle''.
Personal life
Matsuda was born on September 10, 1985 in Suginami, Tokyo, Japan, to Yūsaku Matsuda, a ...
as Dr. Ryō Kamiya (28), Maria's attending physician.
*
Goro Inagaki
is a Japanese musician and actor from Itabashi, Tokyo. Inagaki was a member of the Japanese pop group SMAP. A year after the group's dissolution, Inagaki, alongside his former bandmates Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and Shingo Katori formed the group Atar ...
as Shuichi Makihara (35), Risa's older brother who has ruined her life for the sake of money.
*
Haruna Kawaguchi
is a Japanese actress, YouTuber, and model under Ken-On. She is known for playing lead roles in '' Ouran High School Host Club'', '' POV: Norowareta Film'', '' Zekkyō Gakkyū'', and ''Say "I love you"''.
Career
In 2007 Kawaguchi won the Grand ...
as Mizuki Yasuda (17), Maria's best friend and schoolmate.
* Akito Kiriyama as Ryōta Sawamura (17), an in-patient at the same hospital as Maria who suffers from the same liver illness.
* Tetta Sugimoto as Junji Kawamoto (42), Kengo's friend and employee of the Shin-Enoshima aquarium .
* Chisun as Chizuru Kawamoto (32), an employee of the Shin-Enoshima aquarium. She is married to Junji Kawamoto.
*
Shingo Nakagawa as Yūya Kashiwabara (27), an employee of the Shin-Enoshima aquarium.
* Hiromi Kitagawa as Rumi Nakashima (29), the nurse in charge of Maria and Ryōta.
* Yuka Itaya as Minako Aizawa (37), Kengo's fiancée. She works at a hotel.
* Mieko Harada as Kazuko Okada (57), Kengo and Maria's mother.
Recurring cast
*
Ken Mitsuishi
is a Japanese actor. He has appeared in films such as '' Chaos'' and ''Tokyo Playboy Club''.
Filmography Film
;1980s
*'' Tora's Tropical Fever'' (1980)
*''Foster Daddy, Tora!'' (1980)
*'' Sailor Suit and Machine Gun'' (1981)
*''Tora-san, the Exp ...
as Shirai, the manager of the
image club Sei Marin Gakuen (episodes 1–3).
*Kazumasa Taguchi as Dr. Taninaka (episodes 1, 4, 7, 9).
*Takeru Shibuya as a child at the aquarium (episodes 1, 9).
*Saori as Kotomi Sawamura, Ryōta's sister (episodes 3, 6, 8).
*Hijiri Sakurai as a ward office clerk (episodes 3, 9).
*Natsuhi Ueno as Saeko Iwai, a tabloid reporter (episodes 7–9).
Guest cast
*
Shunsuke Daito as Makoto Fujishiro, Risa's boyfriend (episode 1).
*Shihō Harumi as a customer at Sei Marin Gakuen (episode 1).
*Yuzuki Amano as a child at the aquarium (episode 1).
*Raishin Kodama as Kōhei, Kengo and Maria's uncle (episode 1).
*Hisako Matsuyama as Reiko, Kengo and Maria's aunt (episode 1).
*Kinpei Hayashiya as himself, a
rakugo
is a form of '' yose'', which is itself a form of Japanese verbal entertainment. The lone sits on a raised platform, a . Using only a and a as props, and without standing up from the seiza sitting position, the rakugo artist depicts a lo ...
performer (episode 2).
*Eihei Hayashiya as himself, a rakugo performer (episode 2).
*Petako Hayashiya as herself, a rakugo performer (episode 2).
*Michiko Yamamoto as the lady at the watch shop (episode 5).
*Kaoru Sawayama as a hospital nurse (episode 5).
*Yūki Mihara as a TV presenter (episode 5).
*Shōgo Asari as Iwai's cameraman (episode 9).
*Midoriko as the Aquapet Joy shopkeeper (episode 10).
*Fuku Suzuki as a customer at Aquapet Joy (episode 10).
*Arisa Isano as a customer at Aquapet Joy (episode 10).
Episodes and ratings
Awards
References
External links
*
''Nagareboshi'' Staff Blog* {{IMDb title, 1714813, Nagareboshi
Japanese drama television series
Japanese romance television series
Serial drama television series
2010 Japanese television series debuts
2010 Japanese television series endings
Fuji TV dramas
Aquariums in fiction